Dick Young Heritage House

12/30/2025

REMEMBERING DICK BULMAN - The Village of Lancaster was saddened with the news of Dick Bulman’s passing on Christmas Day at the age of 90. Dick devoted his entire life to the betterment of the community through his work at the Department of Public Works and through volunteerism. Dick worked at the DPW for 40 years (1953-1993), the last 20 as Superintendent.
He’s responsible for many of the things we take for granted every day as we drive around, trees, bridges, roads, culverts and sewers. He used his gift as an engineer to oversee the formation of Sewer District No. 4, the construction of our water tower, the Towers apartments, the building of N. Pleasant Ave. between Central and N. Aurora and the building of the DPW building on Broadway near the D&L Plaza.
Dick was a Navy Veteran, a member of the Lancaster Fire Department, the Planning Commission, the Lancaster Elks, Orioles Nest and Boy Scouts. He was a proud graduate of the Lancaster High School Class of 1954. In 1957 he married the former Rose Damiani and had 3 children: Rick, Bob and Alison. Dick loved his hometown and Lancaster is a better place because of him. The funeral mass was today (Dec. 29, 2025) at St. Mary’s Church.

12/16/2025

REMEMBERING HENRY'S: The Jan. 23, 1969 Lancaster Enterprise reported the grand opening of Henry's would be the following day at 5240 Broadway in Lancaster. Henry's was said to specialize in delicious roast beef sandwiches, Henry burgers and other fine food.
In 1968 Henry's Hamburger stand was given the go-ahead to build its restaurant at the present site of the Blue Sun gas station.

11/28/2025

Hey Black Friday shoppers - be sure to support your downtown Lancaster businesses!

11/21/2025

Photo shows our beloved Lancaster Town Hall/Opera House rising from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1894. Built with locally-produced bricks. Taken from a glass plate by photographer Benjamin Cornell. Clark St. would not go through to Central Ave. until 1916. Standing in the background is School District No. 8, built in 1882.

10/29/2025

Everybody thought Somebody would do it… but Nobody did.

There’s an important job to do... protecting our community.

Anybody could step up… will it be you?

Join the Lancaster Fire Department as a Volunteer Firefighter. No experience needed — will train you! The only requirements are heart, dedication, and the will to serve. (And to live in Lancaster NY 🙂)

🚒 Be the Somebody our community can count on.
📩 Message us today to learn how to get started!

10/26/2025

10/26/2025

Proud to be from Lancaster? YOU BET!

10/15/2025

CLARK ST. - Above photo from 1897 looking northeast over the rooftop of the newly-completed Lancaster Town Hall. Photo by Benjamin Cornell taken from one of his surviving glass plates. Clark St. was a little more than a dirt road. Looks like the William Schifla homestead on the north side and the chimneys of four homes on the south. Check out that fancy “cul-de-sac” at the end of the road...

Lancaster’s first high school can be seen in the background. It was built with locally-produced bricks and served Lancaster students from 1873-1903. Young tree abound around the school. The beloved School St. School replaced it (1903-1954). Can you find the two outhouses? Back of St. john's Lutheran Church on Pleasant Ave. visible at the far left. No bridge yet over Plumbottom. The road ends before the Creek.

Photo below taken this afternoon from the widow’s walk on the rooftop of the Historical Society. Trees have overtaken the landscape as only the peak of the 2nd white house and the back of the church is recognizable in both photos.

09/22/2025

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION DAY - A SUCCESS! The big crowd and beautiful weather contributed to a memorable day on W. Main St. on Saturday (Sept. 20, 2025.) We had steady traffic in front of our volunteer vendor tents, the purpose of which was to renew interest in volunteerism throughout Lancaster.

Thank you to the Village for letting us partner with them. Kaityln at the DPW was most helpful as this was the first event for the Dick Young Heritage House.

Thank you to our vendors: Adam Curtis Hands & Heart, Hull House Foundation, Lancaster Beautification, the Lancaster Depew-Elma Chamber of Commerce, the Lancaster Kiwanis Club, the Lions Club, the Depew Community Action team, the Faith Methodist Church, WNY Compassion Connection, St. Mary’s Parish, the Lancaster Girl Scouts, the Lancaster-Depew Boys Club, the American Legion Post 1528, the Lancaster Historical Society and the Lancaster Rotary.

We appreciate our Facebook co-hosts: the Lancaster Village Merchants Association, Village of Lancaster Special Events, Performance Advantage Co., Depew Community Center, Lancaster Historical Society, Bloomsbury Lane Toy Shoppe, Guilded Maple and the Lancaster Historian.

The Heritage House is a non-profit organization committed to carrying on the memory of Dick, an ardent supporter of volunteers and their contributions to the community. Our Board of Directors, John Chmarney, Kris Young, Jim Everett, Bill Cansdale and Mary Jo Monnin are grateful for all the help we received.

Village of Lancaster
Lancaster, NY Historical Society & Museum

09/19/2025

A WAY TO GIVE BACK - The Village Fall Festival is tomorrow (Sept. 20) and so is the opportunity to invest your time in Lancaster. While residents have always been generous with their spare time, it’s not always easy to know what’s out there.

The Village Fall Festival will bring individuals willing to volunteer, together with the groups and organizations that need them. The event, co-hosted by the Dick Young Heritage House, is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on W. Main St.

Groups in tents offering volunteer opportunities will be: the Hull House Foundation, Lancaster Beautification, the Trinity Food Pantry, the Lancaster Depew-Elma Chamber of Commerce, the Lancaster Kiwanis Club, the Lions Club, the Depew Community Center, the Faith Methodist Church, WNY Compassion Connection, St. Mary’s Parish, the Lancaster Girl Scouts, the Lancaster-Depew Boys Club, the American Legion Post 1528, the Lancaster Historical Society and the Lancaster Rotary. Overall, 70-plus vendors will be participating.

Free "Lancaster Volunteer" T-shirts will be offered at the volunteer tents. The Heritage House is a non-profit organization committed to carrying on the memory of Dick, an ardent supporter of volunteers and their contributions to the community. Volunteering has tremendous benefits including a sense of belonging, increased self-confidence and a meaningful way to give back.

Lancaster has a tremendous history of volunteerism. Here’s some historic photos of people who helped build Lancaster into the community that it is today.

Lancaster, NY Historical Society & Museum
Village of Lancaster